“Vere, where are you going???” Ai looked up to Vere who had been with her since her childhood years.
“Princess Ai, I have to inform a few soldiers about some matters. Shouldn’t you be about ready to sleep for the night? It’s getting late after all.” Vere could only see her mask that concealed her face. He had never seen what Aiken or Ai looked like under the mask due to the curse that resided within the two since they were twins.
“Ummm… well…” Ai was at a loss for words when Vere looked to see that she was holding something behind her since her hands were also behind her.
“Do you have something that you wish to give me?” Vere looked to Ai who nodded, he could not see it, but he knew very clearly that she was blushing under her mask. There was no way of seeing it, but he felt deep down in his heart that she was blushing. Ever since he first met her, he felt as though he would always be able to read her without even thinking about it.
“I wanted to give you this as our birthday present! You’ve been so busy, and I had no chance to meet you! You're here now, so I’ll see you around!” Ai handed the present off, running off after giving him the present.
Vere watched Ai’s figure leave, he turned to look at the present that she gave him which he had forgotten that today was his birthday. Opening it, he saw taro-filled bread which he smiled, taking a bite out of one. Recalling that his favorite fruit or flavor was indeed taro, it had been too long since he last had such a gift. “Thank you, Princess Ai.” He whispered when there was no one there to hear him nor see his satisfied look.
***
Mila couldn't find anything, but she felt a bit sad when she found ZH with another woman in the town of Zameth kingdom. She had stopped her search, feeling as though her determined feelings to find the Mana Hunter was not at their highest. She had fallen asleep soon after, but Kate wanted to tell ZH about it, and so she waited outside of the bedroom door for him to show up. Kate didn't see what happened, but she could feel the painful feeling of betrayal in herself from Mila. Knowing deep down that the situation could not have been what it appeared like.
[Mama, I won't let you and papa be separated by something so little.] Kate said, sitting down patiently hoping that ZH would arrive soon. Being able to ask him about what he could have encountered or come across that day. Skye and Vivian had fallen asleep near Mila's bedside not even knowing what Kate was planning on doing that night.
"Kate???" She heard the same voice and looked up to see that ZH was home from his long day of duties.
[Papa!!!] She ran rubbing against him with her tail wrapping around his gently since she was too big to be carried now. [Papa, today mama saw you and she became sad. I did not get to see what she saw, but she was sad.] She said out, hurrying along to the main point of why she stayed awake just for him to arrive.
"Sad? What did she see me do?" ZH made sure that they were a good distance away from his bedroom where Mila was sleeping. Walking a bit further away from the bedroom, he knelt to look at Kate who nodded and whimpered slightly.
[I don't know. She said your name and then she stopped and became silent after. I don't know what you did, but you need to be sure to talk it out with mama. Don’t let mama continue to be sad about it or else I won’t forgive papa!] Kate stared at ZH hoping that he could resolve it rather than run away from it.
'So, my thoughts were accurate. She went out to have a look around.' ZH should've known that nothing could keep Mila from going out to see what she can do. 'She likely stumbled upon me with that woman and misunderstood the whole situation.' He held his head and sighed, seeing how Mila had the wrong thought about him. "I'll talk to her about it so don't worry. Thank you for telling me, Kate." ZH was quite thankful to Kate for telling him. If she didn't then he would've never found the reason for her being upset and distant in the morning when they met for breakfast.
***
Mila grumbled feeling exhausted and saw how all three of her beasts were sound asleep around her in bed. Kate would sleep on her bed, but she was sleeping at the foot of her bed this time. Getting out of bed, she washed up remembering what ZH had done that night. 'Why do I fall for such little things over and over again? Men are not different from each other after all.' She thought feeling hurt that even men were tempted by even a little seduction that a woman can pull. Yet, there were always two sides to the story which made it hard to believe one side in the end. ‘I do not know which side to believe in. There is just so much that can become a lie or truth, but I do not wish to know it if it hurts me in the end.’ Going out, she went ahead letting her day go by as usual like it would on any other day. Although, there were still some doubts in her about ZH. 'It could all be a misunderstanding, but...'
"Are you alright?" Looking to see a fellow with harsh coal hair and smoldering ebony eyes wearing glasses.
"I'm fine." Mila hung out at the main balcony in front of the mansion where everyone could see her. She looked down at the town filled with many people and beasts all enjoying their clear and bright day.
"I can sense that you are struggling at this point. The servants and maids are treating you kindly, right?" Mila didn't know why this fellow was even here. She didn't even know why he was trying to talk to her.
"They're fine. It's just my issue that's bothering me." Taking a glance at him then turned to look back down at the view from before.
"Does it perhaps involve a lover?" He had hit right on the spot, it was a good guess. If it was not, then he would have thought of more issues that were well known in today’s society.
Mila didn't know why, but she decided to tell him then to keep letting her feelings and doubts waver. 'Maybe, a man's point of view could be different since a woman can assume a lot in this kind of relationship.' Looking directly at him, she didn't even know who he was. "I guess you can say that."
"Did he probably do something unfaithful?"
"I'm not sure. There's something in my heart that wishes to not doubt him. Then, there's this other doubt that men can go back on their words and promises." Mila didn't want to think of ZH that way, but her experience was like trauma to her. ‘There is no way for me to tell if I should listen to my past or present.’
"Why do you have such doubts?" The fellow man continued to ask simple questions that he felt were good enough to slowly crack her open with her worries.
"Hmph... I wonder too." Mila couldn't bring up that the reason was due to her last lifetime. She didn't want to be found suspicious in any way along with being questioned about how something like that could've happened for her to be given a second chance in life. "I never got your name." Mila then mentioned, seeing how they didn't even introduce each other.
"Sorry for my rudeness. My name is Theo Vangilo." He gave her a calm smile which she found to be a good man. He did not hold any ill intentions towards her which made her glad that there were a lot of good people in this kingdom.
"My name is Mila Noble. It's good to make your acquaintance." She said, allowing both of them to get along first.
"You seem to be under a lot of doubts. Is he treating you badly?" Theo had sensed her emotions wavering between fear and worry. Her heart was currently in a state where it was trying to figure things out little by little.
"No, he's not treating me badly. He treats me so kindly that one would think he is just the best suitor to marry." Mila smiled, thinking about how they first met through his little beast that flew into her family home where they started to exchange letters from there. Then, she thought about the times that he gave her the purple pearl hairpin, the lights in the sky as her present, the time he saved her from the crumbling rocks, their cat and mouse chase, and even to the point where he took care of her for six years. He has been caring for her throughout her whole life, her heart could not help feeling happiness from all of the memories that they had with one another. "He's done so much for me. Yet, I don't know how I can ever do anything for him. I feel like I am useless to him." Mila didn't know how she was going to manage it all in repaying his kindness and on top of that their current relationship which had far exceeded from best friends now. Not knowing if there was a future for the both of them since she had nothing to give to him.
"It looks like you need a drink. It'll be better to cool off." Theo had Mila follow him where they would be able to calm down a bit and slowly talk about a few problems in her life.
Mila recalled back then when she was alone in her first life that she would drink alone on her wedding anniversary each year. Her 'ex-husband' was likely with Vita at that time cheating behind her back. She could not believe that she was so weak back then. Allowing him to do as he pleased, every time she tried to ask him about where he had gone then he would get upset so easily that he could hit her if she got too persistent.
They were at the dining room with Mila going ahead accepting the glass of wine given to her. Going ahead and drinking it, she smiled seeing how there was still a bitter taste in it. ‘After all of these years, it has never changed its taste after so long.’ Thinking about it, this was her first time having her first sip of wine in this second life of hers. Wine in her first was just to erase the pain away, but she did not know what it could be in this second life of hers. ‘I wonder if the wine this time will ease my pain in this life?’
***
ZH made his way to the dining room that afternoon feeling exhausted that he was given piles of paperwork with the woman they caught being a Mana Hunter covering for the runaway. Along with some matters of his grandfather who gave him the load of paperwork that was not even his to fill out in the first place. Once he had finished, he decided that it was time to talk to Mila about the whole misunderstanding. On his way to look around for Mila, he then saw Theo with Mila who was drunk. "Mila???" He saw Mila with her drunken red face which was a first for him to witness her in that way. He would have never thought that she would be drunk at this time of day. Hoping that she did not drink the whole day that he was filling out papers.
